Geran
Born in parts unknown and brought to Amber Castle in his swaddling blanket and was raised in the kitchens of the huge castle. Looked after by and elderly pastry chef he grew up as a scullery. At the age of seven he was taken into the service of Prince Brand who he did not know was his father as a squire. At age nine the truth of this lineage was revealed and Oberon acknowledged him as a Prince of Amber. He has spent all his life at court with no meaningful occupation other than that of a courtier. With the arrival of the princes from this placed called Shadow, he took on greater responsibilities. Physical Characteristics ---- Titles and Honours Crown Prince of Brandenburg Prince of Amber Prince of Helgram Prince of Hendrake Duke of Wessfold Baron of Welksham Lord Treasurer of Amber and Chief Budget Officer Admiral of the Gold Fleet Knight Commnder of the Order of Kolvir Commander of the Order of the Unicorn ---- Residences Apartment at Amber Castle (not occupied) Welksham Castle (Primary residence) Manor house in Amber City Apartments in Brandenburg Palace Beachhouse of Partridge Beach ---- Shadows Controlled By Reies Private shadow once controlled by Caine and taken over by Geran. The people there are religious fanatics who worship Geran as a god. Viceroy Steven Berminar is softening their religious fury and converting them to the worship of the Unicorn. Thus Geran publicly instructed all people to do. Knysh Oil rich desert shadow close to Reies and recently annexed by Geran after liberating it from Caine. ---- Foundations Amber Foundation A non-profit foundation which purpose is to provide funds for the arts and communities within Amber. Support for communities includes grants for infrastructure programs, hospitals, libraries, schools, theatres, sports complexes, the upgrading of housing and farms. The foundation will also promote Amber within shadow and provide grants to do so. ---- Companies Owned By Silver Star Cruise Lines There are three ships in the fleet each of the eight masts has three large rectangular sails. The triangular sails reaching down to the bow catch the sun creating a flash of bright light. The center sail of each mast is has a large, green unicorn upon it. The sleek hull has five decks with shaft running out to long pontoons of either side. Glistening white with a dark greens tip marking the second deck the trimaran will drop anchor in the norther part of the bay. From the pontoons smaller sailing vessels will carry the passengers to the docks. Silver Star also operates a luxury barge service on the major rivers of Amber that includes a deck for normal passager traffic ont he rivers. Red Star Freight Lines Cargo carriers with four masts. They ply between Amber and the golden Circle. Knysh Oil Company Oil company in the shadow of Knysh - Geran controls 51%. 75% of Geran's profits go to the Amber Foundation. ---- Personal History 'Early Life' Geran Ambrois was brought to Amber Castles as a child hours after he was born. Cared for by Emily Tatingsham, an elderly pastry cook, the boy was raised in the kitchen. He grew up scrubbing pots and floors in the kitchen but at the same time was educated by Emily in the ways of the court as seen by a servant. Such insights would prove important to Geran as he aged. Rumoured to be a bastard Geran was constantly bullied by the noble children of the castle. A target for many pranks, on one occasion he was found in Oberon’s office trying to retrieve something one of the noble children had said they has left there. It was one of the occasion the king boxed Geran’s ears. At the age of eight Prince Brand, who Geran did not know was his father, came to back court. Shortly thereafter, he took Geran as one of his squires. The young boy then learned the way of the warrior by scrubbing armour and boots. Prince Brand took interest in the boy and taught him how to use weapons but more importantly the arcane arts of magic. Prince Brand did not protect the boy from the continued bullying. He was overheard telling Geran that it would make him strong one day. In those early years Geran lived better than most orphans. He had a warm bed straw mattress to sleep on beside the kitchen fire, at well from the leftovers from the nobles and learned what an honest day’s work was. One of his fondest memories of the time was that of the rat that lived under one of the kitchen fire places. He would lie at night and watch the rat as it found its way in and out of many compartments in the kitchen. It was then that the boy learned of the secret passages within the castle. The wanderings of a rat led Geran to discover a library where he filled with old books. Able to read at the most rudimentary level, Emily was none the wiser when he began to ask her what an increasing amount of words meant. Birth Right Fiona points an accusing finger at Brand and then it went slowly down to the young page holding his shield. Loudly sucking in air in the rudest possible way, Fiona made a face. “Oh, what have we here...more spreading of your corrupt seed...Brand? Your flop has your eyes.” Brand eyes involuntarily went to the boy. “Who is this child, Lord Brand?” he king demanded. Straightening up, Brand said to the king, “He is my son, Geran Ambrois.” “Bastard,” Fiona chuckled. “Come here boy,” the king said in soft tones. He ignored the woman. Geran stood still. “Do as you are told, Geran,” Brand instructed. The boy looked up and then stepped forward. Holding the heavy shield in both hand Geran stopped a few feet from the king. He said nothing. Reaching down, Oberon took the boys chin firmly in his hand. Moving the boy's head from side to side the king said, “My...my...Fiona you are right. I do see Brand in him.” “Evil spawn.” Fiona snarled. Brand glared at Fiona. “No, he is more than that. He will live across from Martin and will be known has His Royal Highness. He is a Prince of Amber and will be treated as such,” the king said as he released the boy’s chin. Oberon turned away. His word was final. Life as a Royal Prince “At the age of nine, Prince Brand returned to Amber Castle to report on the movements of enemy agents within the kingdom. During this meeting, Geran encountered Princess Fiona who had a certain hatred for Prince Brand. Princess Fiona took one look at the boy and proclaimed for all to hear that Prince Brand had a motherless bastard. King Oberon took note, studied the boy and proclaimed him a prince of the blood and of Amber. Propelled form scullery to prince, Geran was given apartments across from Prince Martin and servants. At this point in his life Geran was able to and was required to study. Building on what he already knew, Geran surpassed other children of his age in reading, writing and math. He had also proved to be an adept young mage and was moved ahead of others. Weapons and physical training also became part of his daily routine as Prince Brand pushed his eldest son to excel. Physical combat would prove not to be his greatest skill but then Brand did not want Geran to develop in that direction. That was for his other son Prince Marcus. Prince Brand wanted Geran to be a mage. Propelled into the day to day activities of the courts and away from that of the servants, Geran heard rumour his father was tolerated by some, despised by others and favoured by even less. In time Geran learned of the incident in what was called the Pattern and how it was broken. His father had been branded a traitor and he with him. Geran learned that the sin of the father transferred to his off spring. Geran can commonly be found in his office at the Treasury in the morning most weekdays. Otherwise he is at his primary residence of Welksham Castle. Visitors ro Welksham should not be surprised to find Geran out in the fields with his shirt off building stone walls or digging a ditch. He works with the people of Welksham to improve the barony for the benefit of all. His brother Marcus berates Geran for getting his fingers dirty. The two grew up under different circumstance. One was a prince from birth and lived the pampered, lazy life. The other worked when he was a child scrubbing pots, floors and dishes. Some think he a bit of a country bumpkin and simple. No, he likes a simple life and hates life at Amber Castle. As Lord Treasurer of Amber, Geran has embarked in comprehensive national audits of all government departments and those who contract services with the government. Many departments were holding onto outrageously high surpluses which, Geran returned to the treasury. Geran is considering requiring all government departments to return to the crown any unspent funds at the end of each fiscal year. He was commented in saying, “Use it or lose it.” Another unpopular requirement will be that all government departments will be audited yearly. His efforts did not result and many new friends but resulted in a large surplus. Funds from this surplus were allocated improvement around Amber. ---- Family Family Tree Geran, Dalt and Deiter are triplets Darren - Prince of Amber - Prince of Brandenburg - First born - Recognized heir. Alexander - Prince of Amber (Not recognized) - Prince of Brandenberg (Recognized). Erik - Prince of Amber (Not recognized) - Prince of Brandenberg (Not recognized) Princess Bryndal “As a scullery Geran saw many of the great nobles of Amber Castle. He also got to meet and at times play with their children. One such child was the daughter of Fiona, Bryndal. While Bryndal was a princess their paths did cross now and then. The two became friends. Her mother on the other hand thought is unseemly that a scullery be the playmate of her great daughter. Then came the day Geran was acknowledged by the king as being a child of the blood. As the son of Brand, Geran no longer had to remain below floors. He moved into apartments of his own and learned. Freer now to enjoy himself, he and Bryndal continued to cross paths much to her mother’s distain. Then one night, years later, Geran managed to steal a kiss from the lovely Bryndal. That kiss led to more as the days and weeks passed. They met in secret and then one day Bryndal no longer came. She was no longer at court. Fiona admonished Geran in public but that was not new. It was not until a few years later that Geran found out Bryndal had bore him a son who Fiona said had died. The pain of having Bryndal ripped from him hurt Geran to the core. Brand forbade him to seek her out, even if he knew where. It was until the first court after the arrival of many of the grand children of Oberon that he saw Bryndol again. Against his feelings, she turned her back on her as his father would have desired. Since that date, the two are less than friends but not enemies. They have a son together, Darren, who lives with Geran in Welksham. Following the birth of Geran's second son Alexander, Fiona insisted Geran and Bryndal marry. Neither were keen on the idea. Queen Sarah of Brandenburg got involved and Fiona’s demands were later withdrawn. The one day, when Oberon is at court. Geran approaches the king and incline his head to him. “Your majesty, your presence is an honour to us all. I would have made this request to the regent in her stead. I ask your majesty’s permission to marry Princess Bryndal, daughter of Princess Fiona.” The king agreed and said it should be lavish, royal wedding. By royal proclamation the day of the winter solstice has been proclaimed a national holiday to celebrate their marriage. Darren and Alexander Erik After Geran found out about his unknown son Marc wo had been killed by Caine at the age of seven, he discovered he had another son, named Erik. It turned out that Erik had been amongst a group of orphans that had been brought to Welksham months earlier. Taken through a fast time shadow to be educated, Erik returned to Welksham as a man of 19 with a wife and young child. While in fast time Erik went to school with many of the other orphans brought to Welksham. He graduated grade 12 third in his class at the age of 17. He went on to gain a bachelors of agriculture by the age of 19. while in school he started to date Mary, another orphan. The two were broguht back to Welksham to be married in faith of the Unicorn and then returned to their studies. Mary bore a daughter, Elizabeth five months after returning to Welksham. The family settled in the village of Enmore. Two months sfter the birth of their daughter Geran asked Erik to see him in the castle. Geran told Erik he was in fact Geran’s son. It took Erik several days to accept the news. Erik spoke to Geran and was sent back into fast time to be trained as a soldier. When he returned to Welksham Erik moved his family into the castle where he took up a post as captain of the castle guard. Later Geran took Erik before the Regent to have his son proclaimed a prince of the realm. ---- A Matter of Religion The Unicorn ''' “Raised to be faithful to the Church of the Unicorn, Geran regularly attends mass. He finds time to read and meditate on Holy Scripture every day before he retires for the night. Before the arrival of the Princes to Amber, it was rumoured Geran was leaning toward a religious life and considered entering the seminary. In the name of the Unicorn, Geran commissioned the construction of of a grand cathedral in Welksham to celebrate the faith successfully lobbied for the creation of a Bishop of Welksham with the Pralate of the Holy Church of the Unicorn. Such is his faith in the Unicorn and his reverence for Holy Scripture. Belief in the Unicorn sustains Geran but he is known to be sympatric to other religious faiths. He has been quoted as saying, “All religions are based on truth and in Amber all truth comes from the Unicorn. Some just have not found the full truth and need to be cultivated with kindness and not the blunt edge of scripture.“ Geran has decided to take a soft approach and regular meets with the head of the Folk practitioners and the Deacon (now Bishop) of Welksham to ensure smooth relations between the two religious groups. '''Folk Faith “Since becoming Baron of Welksham, Geran has encountered the ancient religiom known as Folk. The pre-pattern Amber religioun is found within the mountains of Welksham. Past attempts to force these Folk practitioners into the Church of the Unicorn failed with great loss of life forcing the Folk deeper into the mountains. That was 600 years ago and the faith of some of the residents has not waned. The basis of the Folk Faith is a deep reverence for nature, peace of the heart and soul through mediation. It is a selfless religion where the monks own no property or processions of any kind save holy artifacts and the simplest needs in life. Even then these articles belong all and not the self. They must beg for the food they eat and may only accept things that are freely given to them. Most monks perform menial task in exchange for the food and goods they receive. Hours are spent in prayer and chanting. There is temple lies in the slopes above Welksham village. There is no altar in the temple but rather it is centered around and ancient tree.